BP lambasted by US experts over spill failures

BP's 'lack of operating discipline' and failure to spot crucial errors contributed to the Deepwater Horizon disaster, a US panel said.

The National Academy of Engineering, which is exploring the technical aspects of the accident that caused the Gulf of Mexico spill, lambasted BP (down 0.05p at 435.6p) and its oil well partners for the culture aboard the doomed rig.

The 15-member panel said it had not yet come up with any firm conclusions on the cause of the disaster.

But in a report on its initial findings, the panel said there had been 'a lack of management discipline' and 'insufficient checks and balances' on decisions where cost and safety may conflict.

But the report acknowledged that it 'may not be possible' to establish a precise cause of the incident and also criticised government regulators for a lack of expertise.